I think it’s safe to say that in one way or another Robin Williams touched all of us. My personal favorite was Flubber, but you know, whatever floats your boat. ‘How do you make a tissue dance? Put a little boogie in it!’ remains one of my favorite jokes to this day.
Search ‘Robin Williams’ on Google this morning and you will find multiple news sources claiming that this beloved man suffered from depression and addiction for years, and yet most of us had no idea. He was happy. He was funny. His wide range of film roles proved that he could be anything and everything the audience needed him to be.
Winning an Oscar, building an enormous loyal fan following, basking in fame, fortune, and wealth – and yet he still thought suicide was the best option.
No matter how happy, how put together, or how successful someone seems, we have absolutely no idea what that person is battling on the inside. You have no idea how close to the edge of suicide someone may be.
Look at the response from this one death. While we aren’t all able to make such a large scale impact on so many people like Robin Williams, whether you want to believe it or not, each and every one of us (yes this includes YOU) has someone that we matter to. Maybe it’s the little boy on the football team you coach, your co-worker who admires your work ethic, or your mom who tells everyone else how proud she is of you (but doesn’t ever say it to you directly).
We all matter to someone. Not only do we need to remember that, but we need to remember to remind those who do matter to each of us. It shouldn’t be a chore or take extra effort to remind someone we care, love and appreciate them. It should be a habit. It should be part of our daily routine. Do it everyday. Don’t wait because you never know when they might be gone. We need to work together to remind each other that we are all providing value to this world.
On the other hand, admiring one another and sharing our thoughts of gratefulness is only going to go so far. The only person with an accurate perception of what you’re going through is you. People may have gone through something similar and tell you they understand, but at the end of the day even if someone had a similar experience, the way you react, are affected and handle the situation is completely unique to you and only you.
Why is it more important for us to memorize all of the elements of the periodic table than it is for us to learn how to cope through difficult situations and accept that ourselves are actually enough? We need to make it common practice from a young age to be aware of our minds and our bodies and what is going on with them. Figure out exactly what sets you off and what helps you de-stress. Then we have to implement relaxation before it becomes too late. Incorporate things that help your well-being into your life all the time. Don’t wait until you’re stressed to go to a yoga class, go before your body meets that point (yes, this is a reminder to myself). Take time to recognize your emotions – stop to acknowledge and accept them, and then take whatever action you need to keep yourself balanced. Be aware of who you are, what you’re going through, and always have different solutions that you know work for you readily available for when life gets overwhelming. Don’t ever let suicide be an option.
We put in endless amounts of money to cancer research, which is fantastic, but here is a terminal illness that we can 100% prevent, starting immediately. We don’t know when we’ll have a cure for cancer, but we do know that if we raise awareness, funding and research for mental health, we can significantly reduce the rate of lives lost by suicide right now.
The great thing is, you don’t have to be a medical professional or donate money to be a part of preventing suicide. Suicide is an international issue that needs to be addressed every day and not just when a cherished celebrity is lost from it. Talk about suicide. Make people aware that it is far too common than we think. Extend hope to those in your life everyday regardless of if they may or may not be struggling with thoughts of suicide. Strive to make those you encounter know that they matter to you. The biggest thing that we can do together, is breakdown the mental health stigma. We have to show people that it’s OKAY to get help. There’s nothing wrong or embarrassing about getting the help that you need to make it through life.
It’s easy to forget. Suicide is a horrific topic. Many people can’t even wrap their mind around the fact that a significant amount of people that they interact with everyday may in fact have thoughts about killing themselves. It’s hard to address and it’s painful to realize that we are capable of taking our own lives. But you want to know what’s a lot harder than starting a conversation about suicide? Losing someone to suicide.
Trust me, I know. I lost my dad to suicide on November 20, 2008 (you can read my story here). In January, I held La Nuit Noire, a ball to benefit suicide awareness and prevention. Since then, life happened and I haven’t been putting as much effort into raising awareness as I need to be. I plan on completely rebranding La Nuit Noire, holding the event annually, and eventually developing a non-profit of my own for suicide prevention, which are all great goals in the long run, but I need to raise awareness and show my support for this cause every single day.
The death of Robin Williams served as a reality check for me. I saw La Nuit Noire create a great momentum and I need to remember to keep that going no matter how crazy my life may get. While we will continue to remember, appreciate, and admire Robin Williams for years to come, I hope that you too will use his loss to check in with yourself, your surroundings and others around you. Be strong enough to stand up. Start a conversation. Save a life. Stop suicide.